Welsh Fire has announced a leadership structure which it says reflects the strong and collaborative partnership between Glamorgan Cricket and Washington Freedom.
As the only team in The Hundred representing an entire country, Welsh Fire continues to build an ambitious cricketing project, grounded in Welsh identity and driven by performance, culture and community, it added.
The team will be overseen by Co Chairs Sanjay Govil and Mark Rhydderch-Roberts, supported by Board Members Ann-Marie Smale, Avikar Govil, Dan Cherry and Dhiraj Malhotra. The Board brings together deep Welsh sporting heritage and significant international franchise experience, ensuring Welsh Fire is positioned to thrive both on and off the field.
The structure reflects the 50/50 partnership between Washington Freedom and Glamorgan Cricket, aligning both organisations in shaping the team’s future and building on the momentum of recent seasons, including consistently strong customer experience feedback.
To support this next phase, the executive and cricket operations team has been strengthened with a leadership group that includes:
- CEO: Dan Cherry
- General Manager: Dhiraj Malhotra
- Cricket Manager: Mark Wallace
- Head of List Management & Women’s Head Coach: Michael Klinger
- Men’s Head Coach: Mike Hussey
- Chief Commercial Officer: Ed Rice
- Co Finance Directors: Ynyr Merfyn and Lakshmi Narayana Babu
- Strategic Advisor: Mike Fordham
The group brings extensive experience across international cricket, global franchise leagues and elite performance environments. The appointment of Mike Fordham, who played instrumental roles in setting up both the IPL and Hundred tournaments, adds further strategic expertise in franchise cricket and strengthens Welsh Fire’s long term planning capability.
The partnership between Glamorgan Cricket and Washington Freedom continues to be built on trust, shared ambition and a commitment to the growth of cricket in Wales. Together, both organisations are aligned behind a clear vision to develop a sustainable, high performing teams, to grow the game across Wales, and build a globally recognised Welsh sporting brand – one that continues to attract diverse audiences and deliver exceptional matchday experiences.
Dan Cherry, CEO of Welsh Fire, said:
“This is an important moment for Welsh Fire and for cricket in Wales. Our partnership between Glamorgan Cricket and Washington Freedom is built on shared ambition and values with the opportunity to build upon the foundations of the first five years of the Hundred, including the growth in crowds and the strong engagement we’ve seen from women, families and new fans.
“As a professional team representing a country, we understand this unique privilege, and with the calibre of leadership and cricket expertise now in place, we are better positioned than ever to deliver on that responsibility. Our focus is firmly on building successful men’s and women’s teams that Wales can be proud of, and on driving the long-term growth of the sport across the nation.”
